Camp kit



R. R. WEEKS Nov. 28, 1961 CAMP KIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 19, 1958 INVENTOR. F0405 Z? h/ee/s BY Nov. 28, 1961 R. R. WEEKS 3,010,551

CAMP KIT Original Filed May 19, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

214/ 22 Mae/(5 United States Patent 3,010,551 CAMP KIT Ralph R. Weeks, Spokane, Wash., assignor to Ward E. Powell, Spokane, Wash.

Substituted for abandoned application Ser. No. 736,110, May 19, 1958. This application Apr. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 808,534

3 Claims. (Cl. 190-42) This invention relates to a camp kit. It is the purpose of my invention to provide a simple structure that serves when closed as a single packing container enclosing food, cooking utensils and table and seating equipment, and when opened, as a convenient support and receptacle for preparing and serving meals. This application is filed as a substitute for my abandoned application Serial No. 736,1 10.

Many people today enjoy trips into areas where such facilities as tables and benches are not available for their use. Modern automotive vehicles and tents, etc. provide good sleeping facilities but the storage, preparation and serving facilities for the meals are not in such form as to provide a comparable convenience. According to my invention, I provide a rectangular trunk like box which can be set upon a folding stand and opened with the hollow lid supported on the stand also. Within the box lid are folding stools. Also in the lid are two table leaves each substantially as large as the interior of the lid with braces that cooperate with the box edge and the lid edge to make extended table portions along the end edges of the box and lid that rest on the said end edges for support. The interior of the box is all available for utensils and food, and the interior of the lid is available to support a camp stove for cooking.

The nature and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following description and the accomanying drawings which illustrate the invention in its preferred form. It should be understood, however, that minor modifications from the details shown may be made within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the camp kit showing the lid raised and illustrating the material stored in the kit;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the camp kit in open position;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the camp kit in open position;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the camp kit in open position; and

FIGURE is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my invention is shown as utilizing a rectangular container or box which is of substantial depth. A lid 11 is hinged to the box by hinges 12 and 13 so that it may swing 180 degrees between a position where the lid edges engage the box edges to close the container and the position shown in FIGURE 4, where the lid is wide open. In this position stops 10a and 11a prevent further swinging. The kit is supported upon a collapsible frame 14 of a known type, which frame is provided with braces 15 that are pivoted to the legs 14a of the frame 14 and held in lid supporting position by hooks 16 on the extended top bars 14b of the frame 14. The braces 15 can swing counterclockwise from the position shown in FIGURE 4 into parallelism with the legs 14a for collapsing the frame.

The lid 11 provides storage space for four collapsible stools 17 and two table leaves 18. The dimensions of the table leaves 18 are such that they fit snugly inside the lid 11 with just enough space at the sides and ends 3,910,551 Patented Nov. 28, 1961 for easy removal of the leaves from the lid. The stools 17 and the leaves 18 are retained in the lid by straps 19 and 20 fastened to the side Walls of the lid and adjustably connectible by a buckle 21.

The interior of the box 10 is provided with a removable partition 22. The box interior is available for packing various foods and condiments and for packing cooking utensils. Where refrigeration is, needed, Dry Ice (solid carbon dioxide) can be used to keep perishable foods that are packed in the box at a low temperature.

A particularly important feature of the present invention is the cooperation of the table leaves with the box and lid to provide table areas for serving the food. Each leaf 18 has at one side edge midway between the ends a securing member 23 which cooperates with another securing member 24 inside the top edge of the end of the box 10 to hold the leaf edge down on the top edge of the box. The member 23 is shown as a loop and the member 24 as a removable pin held by two ears 25 and 26 that are formed on a plate 27 that is fastened to the end wall of the box 10. Other means may be used but the simple mechanism shown serves the essential purpose. It is only necessary that the securing members 23 and 24 hold the leaf down on the top edge of the box 10 and that the members 24 be inside the end wall of the box 10 in order that the lid 11 can close tightly and in order that the edge of the table leaf will overlie the end wall of the box.

The table leaves 18 and the box 10 also carry cooperating supporting members to brace the outer portions of the table leaves. These members comprise supporting loops 28 on the end walls of the box 10 and folding braces 29 pivoted on ears 30 provided on the leaves 18. The braces 29 have their free end portions 31 turned to fit into the loops 28. Preferably the end portions 31 are curved so that in applying a table leaf, one first inserts the end portion 31 in the loop 28 before the leaf is fastened by the members 23 and 24. The curved end portion 31 then opposes lifting of the outer edge of the table leaf 18 as well as lowering of this edge.

It is believed to be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a camp kit which is quite simple in construction and which serves the dual purpose of storing food, utensils, table and seats for a party of four in one box and of forming a table and seating facilities for the party around the box with the box and lid open for ready access to the food and utensils therein while the kit is being used for cooking and serving meals. The lid provides ample space to receive the well known camp stove that uses gasoline and a pressure tank. It will be noted that the kit when open, and set up for serving, has the table leaves 18 overlapping the ends of the lid 11 as well as the ends of the box 10. Thus accidental tilting of the lid upward is opposed by the table leaves 18. The one who is doing the cooking can reach across the box 10 to place things on a stove that is seated in the lid 11 and can have ready access to all the contents of the box 10. The kit is, of course, provided with known latches indicated at 32 and 33, and if desired, a lock (not shown) for keeping it closed. A carrying handle is indicated at 34.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A camp kit comprising a rectangular box, a lid in the form of a hollow casing hinged thereto to swing degrees from closed to open position, the top edges of the box and the free edges of the lid lying in the same plane when in the open position the kit providing storage space for food, utensils and table equipment for preparing and serving meals, a rectangular table leaf adapted to lie fiat in the lid, the box having a securing member therein at one end and the leaf having a cooperating securing 3 member at one side edge thereof operable to lock the leaf to one end of the box and said side edge of the leaf overlying the top edge of the end of the box and the adjacent edge of the end of the open lid when said securing members lock the leaf to the box.

2. A camp kit comprising a rectangular box, a lid in the form of a hollow casing hinged thereto to swing 180 degrees from closed to open position, the top edges of the box and the free edges of the lid lying in the same plane when in the open position the kit providing storage space for food, utensils and table equipment for preparing and serving meals, a pair of table leaves substantially as long as the interior of the lid and storable therein, the box having securing members therein at its ends, the leaves having cooperating securing members thereon at one edge thereof engageable with the seeming members in the box, and said edges of the leaves resting on the edge of the box',and the open lid when said securing members cooperate to lock the leaves to the box.

3. A camp kit comprising a rectangular box, a lid in the form of a hollow casing hinged thereto to swing 180 degrees from closed to open position, the top edges of the box and the free edges of the lid lying in the same plane when in the open position the kit providing storage space for food, utensils and table equipment for preparing and serving meals, a pair of table leaves substantially as long as the interior of the lid and storable therein, the box having securing members therein at the top of its ends and supporting members on the outside thereof near the bottom of its ends, the leaves having securing means at one edge engaging the securing members in the box, and having braces pivoted thereon and engaged with the supporting members while said one edge of each leaf rests on the top edges of the box and the free edges of the lid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 617,713 Brackett Ian. 17, 1899 1,330,734 Calarco Feb. 10, 1920 1,478,244 Musso Dec. 18, 1923 1,761,254 Brozozowski June 3, 1930 2,550,108 Davis Apr. 24, 1951 

